Fifth-wheel for vehicles



2 Sheets--Shet 1.

(No Molel.)

- A. GILBERT. FIFTH WHEEL EOE VEHICLES. No. 425,938.

Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

WIN

(No Modem Y 2 Sheets-Sheet?. A. GILBERT. I

FIFTH WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Apr. 15, 1890'.

' A TTOH/VE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO GILBERT, OF STANTON, MICHIGAN.

FIFTH-WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,938, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed February 20, 1890. Serial No. 341,220. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALONZO GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stanton, in the county of Montcalm and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-Vheels for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fifth-wheels for vehicles; and the object of my invention is to simplify the construction and provide means for taking up the lost motion due to the wearing away of the parts in frictional contact; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a vertical section of a device embodying my invention on the line .fr of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan of the same; Fig. 3, a detail of same with parts removed,'and showing another method of applying the invention to a vehicle; Fig. 4, a detail of same device as shown in Fig. l, with parts removed and adapted to a different form of reach; and Fig. 5, an end elevation -of same; Fig. 6, a vertical section on same line as Fig. l, showing still another method of applying said invention.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each.

A represents the front axle of a vehicle; B, the Wooden axle-bed placed upon the axle; O, the head-block.

D is a saddle, upon which the head-block rests and by which the upper circle-plate of the iifth-wheel is secured to the head-block, and is provided with a lug E, having a conic socket and forming a conic bearing for the conic journal I. The upper circle-plate F is flanged and iits over the lower circle-plate G,

and is provided with an inwardly-proj ecting lug F', having a socket to accommodate the boss L on the brace K and a vertical opening for the bolt M. The lower circle-plate G is secured to the axle-bed B by means of sad- `dle H, which -is provided with a projecting lug E', having horizontally-proj ecting lugs for the boltsby which it is firmly secured to the axle-bed, as shown in Fig. 2. The lug E forlns the journal I for the upper and the box for the lower cone-bearings, which constitutes the essential feature of the invention and upon which the axle turns. The lower cone-journal I is integral with brace K which extends forward underneath the axle, and is secured to upper circle-plate F by bolt IWI, and has the boss L and the lip O under the lower circleplate G. Brace K connects the reach to lug E. The parts are secured in position by bolt M', and the usual reach-plates J J may be added, if desired.

The various modifications of the device in its application to vehicles, as illustrated by Figs. 3, 4, 5, and G, can be readily understood upon inspection. InV Fig. 3 the cone-bearings are shown, and the bolt is placed in the rear of the same for holding the parts together, the cone-bearin gs forming the kin g-bolt. In Figs. 4 and 5 the brace K terminates in a hanger P, to which a spring-reach may be attached. .In Fig. 6 the lug E is provided with a projecting lug Q, which forms a cap for the boss L at the end of the brace K, through which passes the bolt h securing the parts together. f

It is evident that in this device the lost motion due to the wearing away of the conebearings and the engaging surfaces of the upper and lower circles of the fifth-wheel may Vbe taken up by simply filing or cut-ting down the tops of the bosses L L and tightening the nuts upon the bolts M M and that the usual king-bolt is dispensed with entirely. It is also evident that in the other modifications of the device shown inthe other figures the lost motion will be taken up by filing of the top of the boss L and shortening the brace K, or by placing awasher upon the top of the lug E and underneath the brace K. /Vhen the bolt is placed outside the pivot, the bearings may be solid-that is, the vertical aperture for the bolt may be dispensed with, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-r l. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles,and in combination with the circle-plates and the saddles D and II, provided with the lugs E and IOC having the boss L', connecting the reach 'and lug Q, a bolt for securing the parts together, and the brace K', having the boss L and bear- 'ing I integral, substantially as and for the 15 purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALONZO GILBERT. Witnesses: g;

L. C. CHAPIN, E. L. STEBBINS. 

